Teeth Cleaned

[robinh]

Do you have your dog's teeth cleaned regularly?

I'm taking Max to the vet this Friday to have his teeth cleaned. I'm worried about doing it even though I know it has to be done. With his immune problems, I don't dare take a chance on letting him get any kind of infection.

[dragondawg]

My previous dog at her teeth cleaned at about 5&8. If your dog is prone to infections, ask for a wide spectrum antibiotic to be started before the cleaning (e.g. doxycycline).

[Scooby4]

Cleaning the dog's teeth is an excellent thing. It helped an older adopted dog of mine to clean his teeth. He was able to eat dry foods again.
There is a great product out there that I used. It is "Dental wipes". It is a good thing for in-between cleanings. The brush doesn't always work out too well with some dogs. I find the wipes easier to manipulate and use instead. However, it may take some time to get the dog adjusted to doing the cleaning.
My suggestion is to follow the instructions on the label. They may sound strange but it is understandable once used. The label suggests holding the dog (if possible) and reaching from BEHIND into the dog's mouth with the wipe. Kind of like how you would do a drowning victim. Always from the behind as not to startle. I usually rub on the teeth I can get to and then later maybe the gums. It is amazing how much plaque can come off just by wiping.
You can find these wipes at a Pet store. They are over $5 but you get a good number of them. They remind me of the normal wet wipes. I hope they work for you if other methods don't. Good luck!!!

[PJ's Mom]

Peej has had his teeth cleaned once, about 6 months ago and I worried about him the whole time he was gone.

His breath was so much better after he had it done! I didn't regret it at all. (even with the $150 price tag)

Good luck on Friday, Max.

[robinh]

Max went in today to have his teeth done. Was worried about it since he has ANOTHER skin infection, but was more worried not to have it done.

Well, I called and he's doing fine. They cleaned his teeth and his ears. Good thing they did since he has a bacterial and yeast infection in both of them. They gave him an antibiotic shot and he'll have to have antibiotic ear washes for a while.

Poor baby, he's a mess. I'm doing everything possible to keep him healthy. He has no immune system to speak of and it is such an uphill battle. I just wish I knew what else to do.

[Claudia H]

I had ear infection problems with my dog that would not clear up with washes, or antibiotics. It seems she was sensitive to most products and that made it worse. I found Zymox worked great. It is a natural enzyme product that keeps the ear flora more normal yet gets rid of what shouldn't be in there. I dose her once every two weeks just to keep her in check. Not that expensive over the internet. Good luck.